The Magic Pear Tree

“For it is in giving that we receive.”--- Francis of Assisi

Artists Extraordinaire

What do you do when you finish telling a story about sweet, juicy pears? Eat some, of course. The story ends with everyone laughing as pear juice drips from their chins, so we decided that it would be a luscious way to conclude our first Moving Tale of the season. Yum.

Our Yoga Storytelling Adventure took us to China this month as Mel and I presented “The Magic Pear Tree”. Here is a short but sweet summary. The story begins as an old man wanders into a small village. He has no belongings but his eyes sparkle with tranquility. A Harvest Festival is being celebrated, hot and thirsty he asks for a small pear but the vendor is stingy and refuses. A kind young man steps forward and purchases a perfectly ripe pear presenting it to the old man. Thankful, he savors the pear and proceeds to plant the seed in the dry earth. When magically, it sprouts and grows into a full grown pear tree. The astonished villagers are encouraged to partake of the sweet juicy pears until the tree is left bare. The excitement diminishes and all depart. As the stingy vendor turns, he finds his cart empty. Understanding arises and he realizes that perhaps he should have shared a pear.

Blossoming Trees

Warrior II was our old man, we stood strong with a sparkle in our eye. Wandering into the village we practiced triangle pose. Refusing the request for a pear we sat in a low squat with arms crossed as the stingy vendor. In child’s pose we rested as the seed was planted. Magically sprouting and growing was a natural for tree pose, our branches grew upward and our hands opened wide as flowers and sweet ripe fruit formed.  The excitement diminishing we departed with side angle pose. Namaste with a bow took us to the perfect ending as understanding arose for the stingy vendor.

As always when I am preparing for a tale I listen to what the story has to say to me. These timeless tales steady my feet as I wander on my adventure through life. Yoga philosophy offers us a firm foundation. The yamas are guidelines for living well with others. The virtues of kindness, truthfulness, trust, moderation, and generosity guide us along the way.

The story of “The Magic Pear Tree” is a tale of generosity. Generosity, the act of being generous, liberal in giving or sharing. This quality first arises from our thoughts, then becomes more tangible as we speak words of generosity, finally manifesting in the physical act of giving or sharing. Seems simple enough. Thinking thoughts of generosity sends this energy out into the quantum field ultimately returning it to us. Hmmmm.

Yoga asks us to delve deeper into our thoughts, words and deeds. Here we come to know the very nature of our minds and begin to recognize our free will, life is a choice. We choose what we think, say, and do. Our personal reality is shaped by our personal choices. Our thoughts, words and deeds are energy. What we outflow we inflow, we reap what we sow.

Truly we know we are here to help one another. And when we remember this, we too shall have the sparkle of tranquility in our eyes. 

Moving Tale; Kathe and Melanie, tandem yoga storytellers

Originally published 4/20/2013